A simple "turn-on" fluorescence sensor for salicylaldehyde skeleton based on switch of PET-AIE effect.

The selective detection of salicylaldehyde skeleton is of great significance in phytochemistry and biological research but rarely reported. In this research, a simple and highly selective "turn-on" fluorescence sensor (CDB-Am) for salicylaldehyde skeleton was developed based on switch of photoinduced electron transfer (PET) and aggregation-induced emission (AIE). CDB-Am bearing amino-cyanodistyrene structure responded to salicylaldehyde in the range of 3.1 to 40 µM with a detection limit of 0.94 µM. The sensing process of formation of Schiff-base adduct CDB-SA was confirmed by 1H NMR, MS, and FT-IR spectra, revealing that a recovered AIE property accounted for the turn-on fluorescence response of CDB-Am and the intramolecular hydrogen bonding played a crucial role in the disruption of PET process. This sensing ability was successfully applied for both fluorescence qualitative test of salicylaldehyde skeleton on TLC analysis and quantitative detection of salicylaldehyde skeleton with good accuracy in the root bark of Periploca sepium, suggesting the extensive applications in phytochemistry and traditional Chinese herbal medicine. Furthermore, CDB-Am exhibited the first excellent fluorescence imaging ability in detecting salicylaldehyde skeleton in a living system. This work supplied a new strategy of preparing a novel "turn-on" fluorescence probe for detecting salicylaldehyde skeleton in complex environments and living bodies.

Investigation of the reactions of acrylamide during in vitro multistep enzymatic digestion of thermally processed foods.

This study investigated the fate of acrylamide in thermally processed foods after ingestion. An in vitro multistep enzymatic digestion system simulating gastric, duodenal and colon phases was used to understand the fate of acrylamide in bakery and fried potato products. Acrylamide levels gradually decreased through gastric, duodenal and colon phases during in vitro digestion of biscuits. At the end of digestion, acrylamide reduction was between 49.2% and 73.4% in biscuits. Binary model systems composed of acrylamide and amino acids were used to understand the mechanism of acrylamide reduction. High-resolution mass spectrometry analyses confirmed Michael addition of amino acids to acrylamide during digestion. In contrast to bakery products, acrylamide levels increased significantly during gastric digestion of fried potatoes. The Schiff base formed between reducing sugars and asparagine disappeared rapidly, whereas the acrylamide level increased during the gastric phase. This suggests that intermediates like the Schiff base that accumulate in potatoes during frying are potential precursors of acrylamide under gastric conditions.

Effects of certain antioxidants on lipid peroxidation process in lung homogenates of L thyroxine-receiving rats.

OBJECTIVE: A possible role of antioxidants in thyreotoxicosis was investigated. We examined the parameters of lipid peroxidation (LPO): conjugated dienes (CD), malondialdehyde (MDA), Schiff bases (SB) in lung homogenates of male Wistar rats. METHODS: Two control groups were created: Group 1 - intact animals and Group 2 - animals injected with 0,9% NaCl. In Experiment I, the animals received L-thyroxin (LT4) i.p. (Groups 3-7). After one week the rats received additionally: Group 4 - melatonin (MEL); Group 5 - propylthiouracil (PTU); Group 6 - Ambroxol (AMB); Group 7 - N-acetylocysteine (NAC). In Experiment II, the animals received only antioxidants. RESULTS: In Experiment I, we noticed a significantly higher MDA and SB level in Group 2, compared to that in Group 1. Moreover, we observed a significantly higher MDA and SB level in Group 3, vs. that in Group 1, but SB level was lower in Group 3 than in Group 2. Melatonin, PTU and NAC reduced CD; PTU, AMB diminished MDA and MEL, AMB lowered SB levels as compared to Group 3. In Experiment II, we observed significantly higher MDA and SB level in Group 2, vs. that in Group 1. Melatonin, AMB and NAC decreased MDA and SB level, when compared to Group 2 but PTU elevated MDA and SB level vs. that in Group 1. CONCLUSIONS: 1) L-T4 suppresses LPO, 2) MEL, AMB and NAC protect against LPO, 3) PTU is an antioxidant in thyreotoxicosis, however, when administered alone, it enhances LPO, 4) stress accelerate LPO.